No gain, just pain

This picture (of a fictitious front page) was part of an over-hyped IBM push to win business for South West One, the disastrous joint venture with Somerset County Council, Taunton Deane and Avon and Somerset Police. Needless to say no new business was ever forthcoming. Too many fingers were burned. Too much public money needlessly squandered. Unfortunately (and I write this more in sorrow than anger) public money is still being wasted as the latest audit of Adult Social Care in Somerset now proves. The auditors report was presented to Somerset’s Audit Committee last week. It makes for grim reading – especially about the way IT continues to fail, thanks to the dismal systems at South West One. South West One was born in 2007, half-baked brainchild of the Lib Dems and the former SCC Chief Executive Alan Jones. Mr Jones continues to be remarkably bullish about the whole sad saga. If you follow the link (above) and scroll down to the “comments” section after the main story, his latest bizarre contribution appears. Like me, you may read what he has to say and then shake your head in disbelief.